Dive into Seaweek 2018 from this weekend

Dive into Seaweek 2018 from this weekend

With only a few days to go until the start of NZAEE Seaweek 2018 on Saturday 3 March the number of events listed on the Seaweek website at seaweek.org.nz has swelled to 224, more than ever before, with more than 50 events happening in both Auckland and Wellington, plus 9 competitions. So dive into Seaweek, visit the website and check out the events near you!

Seaweek National Coordinator Dr Mels Barton is delighted at the response:

“We are getting more groups organising events every year, and many more repeating events year after year. It’s great to have so many opportunities around the country for families to learn about the amazing marine environment we have in New Zealand and how to protect it.”

Voting for the 2018 Seaweek Ocean Champion closes today and the competition is intense. The winner of the award sponsored by the New Zealand Coastal Society will be announced at the Bill Ballantine Memorial Lecture: Antarctica and False Killer Whales on Thursday 8 March at the University of Auckland.

The biggest event in the country will be Sustainable Coastlines’ ‘Love Your Coast’ Tāmaki Makaurau Clean-up, with clean-up stations located around the Hauraki Gulf and Waiheke Island on Saturday 3 March and around the Manukau Harbour on Saturday 10 March, with numerous individual clean-ups all around the region.

Other event highlights around the country include:

Northland: Port Nikau’s Family Celebration; Snorkel Days at Tapeka Point and Reotahi; clean-ups at Baylys Beach, Waipu Cove and Sandy Bay; Matapouri Kaitiaki Project; Great Big Micro Mollusc Hunt; Guided Kayaking at Waikaraka; Marine Kaitiaki Action Day at Reotahi and register with Northland Regional Council to pick up your free beach clean-up kit while stocks last.

Auckland: Volvo Ocean Race; Bill Ballantine Memorial Lecture and Ocean Champion award night; Love Your Coast Tāmaki Makaurau Clean-up; Ontogeny Ocean virtual reality exhibition; Snorkel Days at Motuihe, Waiheke, Tawharanui, Goat Island and Rotoroa Island; Onehunga Festival; estuary, coastal and wetland guided walks, films Goodbye Godwits at Ambury and numerous clean-ups including one on Great Barrier Island.

Waikato: Maui Dolphin Day on Saturday 3 March.

Bay of Plenty: Wonderful Wai events for tamariki; Maketu clean-up, dotterel protection and Guided Rockpools Walk; Happy Harbour Fun Day in Tauranga; Wildlife Vet rescue talk.

Tairawhiti / Gisborne / East Coast: Family Adventure Day with guided snorkeling at Te Tapuwae o Rongokaka Marine Reserve on 3 March.

Hawkes Bay: Seaweek Royal Society Lecture on stingrays; Beach clean-ups at Waitangi Regional Park and Cathedral Peace and Justice; Napier murals guided walks; Estuary walk; Open Water Swim Confidence sessions.

Taranaki: Project Reef Life - Hear our Story and a clean-up at East End Beach, New Plymouth.

Manawatu / Whanganui: Pre-school Variety Concert; clean-ups at Foxton Beach, Castlecliff and Waitarere; Variety Show and an Art Display and market.

Wellington: Whitireia snorkel days; Moa Point Treatment Plant Tours; clean-ups at Petone, Mahanga Bay, Kaiwharawhara; clean-ups for Penguins and by Kayak; go behind the scenes at Te Papa; visit the Wellington Boat Show; heaps of educational and fun events for children and adults at Hutt City Libraries.

Nelson: Monaco Reserve clean-up on 11 March.

Marlborough: Massive Marlborough Clean-up with stations at Picton, Taylor River and Rarangi Beach; Kids Snorkeling at Waikawa Dive; free Guided Snorkeling in Kaikōura; Lochmara Lodge exploration.

Canterbury: Akaroa Dolphins Educational Cruise; Farewell the Godwits; Pohatu Penguins Sea Kayaking Safaris; Cycle the Coastal Fringe; lectures, exhibitions, films and talks about Phytoplankton, Hectors Dolphin Research, Frank Worsley, A Plastic Ocean, Seabirds and Recreational Fishing Rules; clean-up of Lyttleton Harbour.

Otago: Dunedin Coastal Clean-up; talk on Birdlife of Oamaru Harbour; Marine Scientists in Schools and Sea Lion puppet shows throughout Seaweek.

There are also 9 exciting and fun competitions to enter this year with amazing prizes on offer, including a kayak, NZ seashore books and an over $20k prize pack for teachers and schools from Young Ocean Explorers. For full details of all the events and competitions check out the Seaweek website at seaweek.org.nz.

The theme for this year’s Seaweek, which runs from Saturday 3 to Sunday 11 March 2018, is “Toiora te Moana - Toiora te Tangata, Healthy Seas - Healthy People”.

Seaweek is an annual marine education and engagement week coordinated by the New Zealand Association for Environmental Education (NZAEE). Seaweek 2018 is supported by Foundation North, Department of Conservation, New Zealand Marine Studies Centre (Otago University), Ministry for Primary Industries, Environment Canterbury Regional Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council, The National Aquarium - Napier City Council, Wild for Taranaki, New Zealand Coastal Society, Young Ocean Explorers, Experiencing Marine Reserves and many local sponsors.

ENDS

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